This Xbox One S mod hides a full Windows gaming PC within the original shell — sleek design retains a working optical drive

Over the years, we’ve seen plenty of attempts by DIY modders and PC enthusiasts to shrink gaming PCs down to the size of traditional game consoles. This is often done with the goal of enjoying PC gaming on a large TV from the comfort of their couch. From custom small form factor builds to console-inspired enclosures, the idea of a living room-friendly PC isn’t exactly new. However, a modder on YouTube by the name of PhasedTech has taken this concept to a whole new level by cramming an entire desktop PC inside a svelte Xbox One S.

Now there have been similar projects in the past where modders have managed to install an entire PC inside the chassis of an old console. But, as pointed out in the video, most of them rely on an external power brick and / or integrated graphics. To make the project a bit more challenging, PhasedTech set out to use an internal power supply, a discrete graphics card, as well as an optical disc drive so the system could functionally mimic the original console. Additionally, the build avoids the use of glue, ensuring that all components are properly mounted and bolted in for a more professional finish. Lastly, only the rear and bottom of the chassis have been modified, with no changes allowed to the front, sides, or top panels.

I Built a PC Inside an XBOX (And the Disc Drive Works) - YouTube

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Since the Xbox One S has a volume of approximately 4.4 liters, the parts chosen for the project had to be compact and consume relatively low power. For that reason, the hardware leans more towards a balanced console-like setup rather than a high-end gaming PC. The modder used a mini-ITX motherboard with an AMD Ryzen 5 3600 CPU cooled by a Noctua NH-L9i, along with 16GB of DDR4 ultra-low-profile memory. For storage, the system uses a standard NVMe SSD, a 250W flex PSU to provide power, and a low-profile single-slot Nvidia RTX 3050 to handle the graphics.

After separating the outer chassis from the core internals of the Xbox Series S, the modder began by laying out all the components to get a sense of where each part will go. They then shaved off some internal supports to make room for the hardware, followed by drilling a few holes to secure the power supply and motherboard using standoffs. Using a custom right-angle mount and screws, a USB Type-A extender cable is installed at the front of the console chassis.

For the optical disc drive, the modder soldered two wires to the drive’s eject switch, with the other ends connected to a micro switch. This micro switch is intended to be used with the original Xbox eject button, enabling the disc drive to be controlled using the console’s built-in button. After a quick test of the optical drive, all the power supply cables are installed, followed by preparation of the top half of the chassis.

By making use of two threaded mounting points and some plastic grooves inside the top chassis, the modder 3D-printed a two-part custom bracket to securely mount the disc drive, GPU riser cable, power button, and eject button in place. Notably a four-lane PCIe riser cable is used due to the limited internal space as opposed to a traditional 16-lane cable. Fortunately that does not impact the performance of the GPU used for the build. After installing the disc drive, power/eject buttons, GPU, and a bit of cabling, the top and bottom chassis are snapped back together, along with two custom 3D printed I/O shields for the rear.

The system boots into Windows without any issues, but due to the relatively low-end hardware, it is best suited for less resource-intensive and eSports titles. According to PhasedTech, games like Valorant and Counter-Strike 2 can push to 200 FPS at 1080p using medium settings, with temperatures reaching up to 80°C. While they haven’t offered any extended benchmark results, the project stands out for being able to balance performance, thermals, and functionality within the limited space of a console chassis, while preserving the original look and feel of the original Xbox One S.

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